About us

The St Albans District Schools Swimming Association was set up in December 2009 by Andrew Ellis, the current Chair of the Association. The prime objective initially was to organise the inaugural trials gala to select the St Albans District team for the Herts Primary School Champs. The aim of the Association now has broadened to promote competitive swimming in the primary schools arena and to ensure that the primary schools and swimmers know about the various swimming competitions in the St Albans District, Hertfordshire and East Division (of the English Schools Swimming). The Association also covers the selection of the St Albans District team for the Herts Secondary School Champs.

This Association does not organise or run any events where swimmers are representing their schools. Swimmers who participate in the Primary Schools Trials Gala are representing themselves and in the Hertfordshire Primary Schools Champs representing the St Albans District. The swimmers links to their specific schools is only to ensure eligibility to participate in the above events and to ensure the swimmers are affiliated to the English Schools Swimming Association (this is done through the schools).

Andrew Ellis, the St Albans District Primary representative for the Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association, is responsible for submitting the St Albans District teams for the Hertfordshire Schools Championships (Primary and Secondary).He is also responsible for ensuring that all swimmers who participate in the St Albans District Primary Schools Trials Gala and Hertfordshire School Championships (Primary and Secondary) are affiliated to the Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association through their schools. The schools affiliate to the Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association through the St Albans District Swimming Association. The St Albans District Swimming Association pays an affiliation fee to the Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association each year prior to the Hertfordshire Schools Championships. The St Albans District Primary Schools Trials Gala and Hertfordshire School Championships (Primary and Secondary) are covered by the English Schools Swimming Association insurance policy when swimming at English Schools Swimming Association affiliated events.Details of the English Schools Swimming Association can be found here, and the Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association committee and District representatives can be found here. The Hertfordshire Schools Swimming Association is part of East Division of ESSA.

The St Albans District Schools Swimming Association is a non-profit organisation. We receive no funding from any other organisation. All monies received from swimmers or schools is used entirely for the purposes of running the trials gala (including medals, certificates, and trophies), the team selected for the Herts Primary Schools Champs (including team kit), affiliation to ESSA to cover swimmers insurance, and other admin requirements.The Association is run and supported by the swimmers parents. We do not use or have any essential requirement for Schools representation (ie. teachers, sport staff) as the activities of the association are performed by volunteer parents and other volunteers from various swimming clubs in (and around) St Albans District.The Associations's committee receive no payments for running the association or any activities conducted (the main one being the trials gala).

​On the 25th May, 2018 the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) comes into force. This regulation governs the privacy (data protection) and the personal information we may obtain and hold. The St Albans District Schools’ Swimming Association (StASSA) collects, stores, and processes certain information for the sole purpose of running school swimming galas on behalf of the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) and the Hertfordshire Schools’ Swimming Association (HSSA). Please see the ESSA website for specific details of the policy which StASSA and HSSA follows (where applicable) – click here for the link.

The information which we (StASSA) collect, store and process may be shared with HSSA , however this information provided is used by HSSA in relation only to running or the participation in ESSA or HSSA galas. HSSA do not share this information with any other organisations.

You do not need to take any action in relation to this policy, however if you have any questions or issues please contact us at the Contact Us page on the website.